Thursday, March 15, 2012

Enemeis of Jiu-Jitsu: Sandbagger Edition

In watching the IBJJF Episode 3 from my post yesterday, you may have noticed Eddie Wineland talking about his "four wins" in the white belt division.IN THE WHITE BELT DIVISION.
He also acknowledges in the interview he's wrestled most of his life.

I then realized in the Matt Horwich picture I featured in yesterday's post, he's competing in what appears to be the blue belt division.
Matt Horwich who submitted Thales Leites ( a black belt in BJJ) in MMA.
Matt Horwich who has 20 wins by submission against other professionally trained athletes, fighters, and grapplers.

I'm not here to say MMA is the same as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or Mixed Martial Arts.
As the rules exist, yes, you can compete in the white belt divisions despite MMA/fighting experience.
But being able to do something does not make it right or just.

It's ridiculous to think some white belt shows up to an IBJJF tournament, pays the IBJJF registration fee, pays his tournament fee, and his first match after 6 months or 1 year of training is against a professional MMA fighter with dozens of wins by submissions.
Period.
Say what you will, argue it however you want, but it's f*cking b*llsh*t.

You would hear shenanighans if a black belt in Judo competed in the white belt division. Or if the equivalent in Sambo competed in the white belt division, but we give professional MMA fighters a pass on doing the white belt division because......why?
B/c they haven't worn the Gi a whole lot?
C'mon, bro. Be serious.
Be a man, man the f*** up, and do the blue belt division or the purple if you've submitted BJJ black belts in MMA.

Coming from Judo, the temptation to enter the white belt division, slam some guy on his head and hit a flying armbar or whatever was there. For about 5 seconds. Then I realized it wasn't a test of my skills, it wasn't fair to him, and it wasn't representing my coaches or teammates in a way that was appropriate.